BMJ call for better regulation in Africa

The British Medical Journal has published a call for regulation to ensure that clinical research carried out in Africa and other developing countries does not lead to the "taking advantage" of volunteers.

Sylvester Chima, a researcher in law at the Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, said that "experimental medicine and biomedical research will always be hazardous but should always be encouraged within a framework of respect for autonomy, justice and human rights."

Among the regulations proposed by Mr Chima are guidance for: forming local research ethics committees; informed consent procedues; standards of care; and distributive justice (especially post-trial benefits and compensation for injuries). He added that he did not believe that such regulations would discourage clinical trials for pharmaceutical products in African countries.